The present invention relates to a reusable closure for beverage cans, and in particular relates to a reusable closure for beverage cans that is capable of repressurizing opened cans during both storage and use.
As is common in the industry, carbonated beverages are regularly dispensed in cans made from aluminum and/or similar materials. Access to such containers is commonly made from a puncturable seal on top of the can. Unfortunately, such conventional puncturable seal cans provide no means for resealing the container once opened. Accordingly, open cans quite frequently experience a loss of carbonation, spillage or a variety of other problems.
The problem of loss of carbonation from carbonated beverages has long been recognized. This problem is most often encountered when a portion of a beverage is consumed and the remainder is saved for consumption at a later time. Since the container no longer has a gas-tight seal, vapor pressure can not build-up within the container to prevent the evaporation of carbonic acid. This loss of carbonic acid from the beverage results in a loss of "fizz"idue to a lack of carbonation. As a result, the beverage quite often has a "flat" or stale taste and is undesirable to consume. Thus, it would be desirable to prevent loss of carbonation from an opened beverage container.
As a result of this loss of carbonation, a number of various closures have been proposed to preserve the contents of a beverage container. However, due to various deficiencies, specifically a capability to reseal but no capability to repressurize, none is considered to be fully satisfactory.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,467 to Tucker and U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,132 also to Tucker both disclose protective caps for beverage containers. Both caps are designed to snap-fit over the top of a beverage can and provide a gas tight seal. Both caps also include a hinged cover on the cap over the container opening as well as a grating to keep insects out. However, neither the '467 patent or the '132 patent disclose an annular sealing gasket integral with the cap. Further, both caps are capable of resealing but are not capable of repressurizing the contents of the container. Also, the caps are both multi-part designs increasing manufacturing cost and potential problems during use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,020 to Brimo II discloses a reusable beverage can cap. The cap in Brimo is also a multi-component cap having a hard outer shell, a resilient liner and an inner elastomeric member. Again, the cap is a complicated three part design without an annular gasket integral with the cap and is not capable of repressurizing the contents of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,278 to Quarberg discloses a reusable beverage can cap. The cap is a multi-component cap having a cover member with a pour spout on top, a clamping member to clamp the cover member to the can and a cap to seal the pour spout. Once again, the cap is a complicated multi-component design without an annular gasket integral with the cap and no capability to repressurize the contents of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,362 to Lutzker also discloses a cap for resealing a beverage can. The cap is a multi-component closure having an outer locking member, an inner latching member and a sealing gasket. Again, however, the cap is a complicated multi-component design, not capable of repressurizing a container and the annular gasket is not integral with the cap, but rather, is a separate gasket. Thus, both manufacturing and use are complicated, manufacturing due to the multi-part design, use because if the gasket is misplaced or lost, the cap loses is functionality.
Accordingly, a need still exists in the art for a one-piece closure for resealing and repressurizing beverage cans that is not only simple to manufacture, but, also simple to use.